Compressor apparatus



Nov. 29, 1932. A. J. CGURTOIS COMPRESSOR APPARATUS Filed May 25, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 29, 1932. A. J. COURTOlS COMPRESSOR APPARATUS Filed May 25, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 "Figure 1 is a top plan view Patented Now 29, 1932 UNITED STATE-ES, mE-m OFFICE ARTHUR JOSEPH COURTOIS, OF HONTAGUE CITY,QMASSACHUSETTS}ASSIGNOR OFONE- t FOURTHI TO'JAN I. CLARY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT 7 1 comra'nsson APPARATUS This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in compressors and re-', compressor apparatus, V

The primary object of they invention is to 5 provide an air compressor embodying recip rocating pistons, together and working in Communicating cylinders witha rotary motor having a drive connection with the pistons in which rotary is transformed into rectilinearzmotion, the apparatus working to draw air ,thereinto at atmospheric pressure tobe passed. through stages of compressionan'd recompression for delivery to a storage tank.

A further object of the invention isto pro- 1 vide an air compressor embodying a plurality of aligned cylinders with connected pistons reciprocating in two cylinders and spacedby an intermediate cylinder with valve devices forming communication between the several cylinders and a rotary drive having gearconnections with the connecting shaftof the pistons and cam devices 'forr effecting re verse reciprocation of the piston'connecting shaft for the purpose of drawing air' into 25 one end cylinder at atmospheric pressure .Which'is transferred to the intermediate cylinder and initially compressed therein ,and

forced therefrom into the third cylinderfor final compression and delivery to a: storage 130 tank. 7

With. the above and other objects inview -thatwillbecome apparent asthe-nature-of the inventionis better understood, the-same. consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully 'idescribed,'shown in' the accompanying drawiingsand claimed. J -v In the drawings i of an air gcom- "pressor constructed inaccordance with the present invention; i 7

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view, partlybroken away and shown in ,45 -s'eotion' and illustrating and driving and" reversing mechanism for thepiston devices Figure?) is a verticallongitudinal sectional view taken on line3 3 of Figure 1, illustrating three aligned cylinders of the apparai-.tus,-a, piston in each end cylinder connected 193 1; seria no. 539,925. 7

by a rod and the "valve devices forming communication with the several cylinders Figure 4: is across-sectional view taken on line 4+4 ofFigure 3; and

Figure 5 is across-sectional view ta'ken'on line 5 -5 of Figure 3 "The aircompressor. comprises a base 10 to facilitate mountingiof the apparatus upona support of any character, the base'frame'carrying intermediate cylinder 11 constituting anair storage chamber, an end cylinder 12 to receive air at atmospheric pressure and anlopposite end cylinderrlgv constituting a re-compressor cylinderr The intermediate cylinder 11 is open at its upper end and is closed by a flat cover wall 14 for thesupport of operating mechanism associated with pistons in the cylinders 12-and 13. r

;As shown in Figure 3, the outer end of the cylinder 12-is closed by an end wa11'14- havin' a centrally disposed inwardly opening checi valve 15 set therein that is tensioned as at 16 and said ;end wall 14 carrieslan air 'filter screen 17 overlying theair intake check valve 15 which may assume any 'form desired.

' A- reciprocating piston 18 working in the cylinder 12 separates the two cylinders'll V and12, communication between these two cyl- 'inders being established by the'springpressed check valve 19 carried by the piston 18 and opening in a direction toward the cylinder '11; YThecylir'iders/lland 13 are-separated bya partition 20 and said partition carries a tensioned. check valve21 opening ina direc- 'tion toward the cylinder 13. The cylinder 7 .13 has a portion of the inner end thereof as at j '22-spaced' from thepartition 20 forming communication between the interior ofthe cylinder13 and a longitudinally extending by ,path 23 communicating with a chamber'24 in a housing carried b the end wall 25 at 'the outer' end of the cylinder 13 and'said end lw'allf25 within the chamber 24 carries a tensioned check valve 26 opening from the chainber24= in a directiontoward the, cylinder- 13. A piston 27 reciprocate's in thecylin'der, 13 and apiston rod 28 extending 'ithrougha central bearing 29in the partition 20 connects the two pistons 18 and 27 and saidfpiston' rod' 28 has "athr'eaded portion 30 of a length substantially corresponding to the length of the cylinder 11 and with which driving devices are associated for effecting reciprocating movements of the pistons 18 and 27.

As shown in Figure 4, a vertical shaft 31 is journalled at its upper end in the cover wall 14 of the cylinder 11 and its lower end journalled in a cage 32 supported upon the inner wall of the cylinder 11 and said cage, as shown in Figure 3 has a worm wheel 33 journalled therein and through which the threaded portion 30 of the piston rod for the two pistons extends, the lower end of the shaft 31 carrying a worm 34engaged with the worm wheel 33. A bevel gear 35 is fixed to the upper end of the shaft 31 above the cover wall 14 and with which driving devices are associated. An electric motor 36 supported upon the cover wall 14 has its shaft 37 supported in suitable bearings and extends over the bevel gear 35 and said shaft 37 carries a pair of spaced bevel pinions 38 having clutch faces 39, the pinions 38 being engaged with diametrically opposite sides of the gear 35 and being loose on said motor shaft. A shiftershaft 40 is reciprocable in bearings 41 rising from the cover wall 14 and arranged parallel to the motor shaft 37 and said shaft 40 has a laterally directed arm 42 fixed thereto that carries a double clutch element 43 engageable with the clutch members 39 upon the pinions 38. Reciprocating means for the shiftershaft 40 to efiect shifting movement of the clutch member 43 includes a worm 44 upon the motor shaft 37 that engages with the worm wheel 45 that carries an eccentric pin 46 that extends within a rectangular frame 47 fixed to the shaft 40 and engageable with the sides of the frame to effect shifting movement of the shaft 40. To retain the double clutch member 43 in positive engagement with either of the clutch members 39, a spring device is associated with the shaft 40 and includes a lever 48 pivotally mounted as at 49 and having one end pivotally connected as at 49a to a link 50a attached to a tensioned plunger in the cylinder 50, the other end of the lever 48 carrying a slotted link 51 that receives a pin 52 projecting from a collar 53 fixed to the shaft 40. It will therefore be seen that the shaft 40 is forcibly moved adjacent its limit of movement in either direction for effecting a positive clutch action between the clutch member 43 and either of clutch members 39.

In the operation of the apparatus, it being noted that the motor 36 constantly drives the motor shaft 37 in one direction and assuming that the piston 18 is in the end of the cylinder 12 adjacent the end wall 14 and with the clutch member 43 engaged with a clutch member 39, cause reciprocation of the piston rod 28 to move the piston 18 away from the end wall 14, air is drawn into the cylinder 12 through the tensioned check valve 15 until the piston 18 reaches its limit of movement toward the inner end of the cylinder 12 and at which time, the worm 44 and the worm wheel 45 effect shifting movement of the shaft 40 to engage the clutch member 43 with the other clutch member 39 whereupon the piston 18 will again move toward the end wall 14 of the cylinder 12 and during such movement, air confined within the cylinder 12 will be partially compressed and escapes byway of the check valve 19 into the intermediate cylinder 11. When the piston 18 again moves toward the cylinder 11, air in the latter cylinder is partially compressed and escapes by way of the check valve 31 into the compressor cylinder 13. WVhen the piston 27 in the cylinder 13 moves toward the partition Wall 20, air in the cylinder 13 is compressed and forced through the by path 23 into the chamber 24 and by way of the check valve 26 into the cylinder 13 between the piston 27 and end wall 25 thereof. The movement of the piston 27 from the partition 20 toward the end wall 25 again acts to compress air in the cylinder 13 and forces the same through lateral outlets 54 into a storage tank or other receptacle by way of check valves 55 set in pipes 56 with a single outlet pipe 57 leading to a tank.

From the above detailed description of the invention, it is believed that the construction and operation thereof will at once be apparent, and while there is herein shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made therein 1 0 end cylinder, a rod connecting the pistons,v

and means for reciprocating the pistons.

2. In an air compressor of the character described, a pair of alined cylinders and an intermediate connecting housing, one forming an air intake, the intermediate housing.

feeding air to the other cylinder which is a compressor cylinder, the compressor cylinder being of reduced diameter, pistons in the intake and compressor cylinders, a rod connecting the pistons and having a threaded portion and worm gear mechanism associated with the threaded portion of the rod for reciprocating the pistonsand snap devices for reversing the operation of the worm gear mechanism. V a

3. In an air compressor of the character described, a pair of alined cylinders and an intermediate connecting housing, one forming an air intake, the intermediate housing feeding air to the other cylinder which is a compressor cylinder, the compressor cylinder being of reduced diameter, pistons in the intake and compressor cylinders, a rod connecting the pistons and having a threaded portion and Worm gear mechanism associated With the threaded portion of the rod for reciprocating the pistons'and snap devices for reversing the operation of the Worm gear mechanism, valves controlling communication between the cylinders and intermediate housing and the compressor cylinder having an outlet to a storage tank.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ARTHUR JOSEPH COURTOIS. 

